Second grader Joe Cheng and his parents led Margie Huckabay's class in a celebration of the Chinese New Year on Wednesday, complete with Chinese dumplings and sweet and sour chicken.

"This is something they will never forget," Huckabay said. "When they remember second grade, they'll remember this."

Cheng, a member of Huckabay's class, has been helping educate his classmates about customs and traditions in China, particularly the New Year holiday. Wednesday marked the beginning of the New Year in China.

On Monday, Cheng's parents, Li Li and Sheng-Wen, as well as several of their friends demonstrated a traditional Lion Dance for the students.

"The students were spellbound as they watched how a parade would begin with the Lion Dance," Huckabay said. "At the end of the presentation, the students got a chance to perform the dance outside."

Huckabay said the visitors also taught her students traditional Chinese songs that are sung to celebrate the New Year. She said the students loved the song and were still singing it on Wednesday.

The Chengs also gave each student a red envelope containing Chinese money for good luck. The envelopes also had the students' names written in both English and Chinese.

Li Li Cheng taught the students about the Chinese zodiac in which each month is represented by an animal. The year a person is born, she said, determines which animal that person is represented by in the zodiac.

Other traditions the students learned about included using fireworks and red paper around the house to scare off Niam, the monster in the Chinese legend who brings bad luck. Chinese families also sweep the house to rid it of bad luck as part of the New Year tradition.

On Wednesday, students learned how to make Chinese dumplings with the help of the Chengs and their friends. The students made several of the dumplings and sampled the food themselves.

Huckabay said the celebration tied in with the students' education of social studies and cultural diversity.

"It's cultural diversity, but we also tie it in with writing and social studies," she said.

She said Joe Cheng, whose family is from Taiwan, is one of several students from Taiwan who have been members of her class. She said she does a unit on China each year and having a family from that area of the world enhances the learning experience for the students.

"We have good communication with the parents, and I asked them to come for the Chinese New Year," Huckabay said. "The first day I met them, I asked them if they would come to my classroom because we always do a big unit on China.

"I thought this would be wonderul since we have these great resources. It just makes it more real for the students."